From The Kitchen, With Love
Woolworths TASTE|July 2020
One of the Mother City’s most iconic deli-restaurants, beloved by both locals and a certain US First Lady, has been forced to close its doors for good. Owner Karen Dudley recalls the joy, spirit of connection and the unforgettable food that made The Kitchen a home from home
Karen Dudley
From The Kitchen, With Love

When you’ve been pouring your heart and soul into the day-to-day urgencies of running a business (“The cold room’s down!”; “We need more coriander, Mama!”) you don’t realise how it has evolved into something other than what you’d expected. In 2009, we moved my catering company from my home to a burnt-out fish-and-chip shop on the Main Road in Woodstock. Ten years later, I realised we’d become a restaurant that also did catering.

The Kitchen buzzed. Every day was a performance, peaking with the lunchtime crush. People would line up for the salads and honey-mustard sausages, for grilled chicken, falafel and more. In summer, we needed four to five servers to manage the making of Love Sandwiches and to dish salad plates and boxes.

This story is from the July 2020 edition of Woolworths TASTE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2020 edition of Woolworths TASTE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WOOLWORTHS TASTEView All
 Award-winning Food: Trending Plates
Woolworths TASTE

Award-winning Food: Trending Plates

Fine-dining takes on both nostalgic and African ingredients - from Cremora and polony (yes!) to okra and beetroot - were food trends singled out by the judges of the 2022 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
Everything you need to know about quinoa
Woolworths TASTE

Everything you need to know about quinoa

If it was good enough to sustain the Incan armies - and NASA's astronauts - you'd better believe this protein-rich seed will see you through your afternoon slump.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
PIGS IN BLANKETS
Woolworths TASTE

PIGS IN BLANKETS

The kids will love these quick-and-easy snacks that won't break the (piggy) bank.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
82 words on...
Woolworths TASTE

82 words on...

THE FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ is the hottest way to keep cool this summer, says Jeanne Calitz.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
MEET ME AT THE RIVER
Woolworths TASTE

MEET ME AT THE RIVER

Plan a visit to the new Mukwa River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi to experience Zambian food with a twist, courtesy of head cook Aaron Menezes and four passionate members of his kitchen team.

time-read
10 mins  |
January/February 2023
FIRE STARTER
Woolworths TASTE

FIRE STARTER

Celeb TV chef Clem Pedro - of Afternoon Express and Expresso fame takes the art of hosting to pro level and not because he went to hotel school or worked for TASTE, but because he started in his mom's kitchen. We asked him to share his food nerd roots and family braai secrets.

time-read
10 mins  |
January/February 2023
PLANTS IN PARADISE
Woolworths TASTE

PLANTS IN PARADISE

Former Durban creative (and one-time carnivore) Neil Roake and his daughter Jordan's epic travels led them to collaborate on the all veg cookbook Castaway. They shared their meat-free adventures on the Filipino island of Siargao with TASTE.

time-read
10+ mins  |
January/February 2023
ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ
Woolworths TASTE

ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ

Midsummer tomatoes are impossible to resist, we know. So when you find yourself with a bounty of exotic varieties - heirlooms, Italian Romas, ripe Mediterraneans and sweet Rosalinis - Hannah Lewry is here to help.

time-read
6 mins  |
January/February 2023
HOME TRUTHS
Woolworths TASTE

HOME TRUTHS

At her Joburg eatery, established in the iconic former Women's Jail at Constitution Hill, Mpho Phalane has worked to create a space that both honours the historic site and feels like home. She spoke to Khanya Mzongwana about the food journey that brought her here.

time-read
9 mins  |
January/February 2023
Morogo magic
Woolworths TASTE

Morogo magic

Budget-friendly indigenous leafy greens - fresh, sautéed or preserved for later use are on Mokgadi Itsweng's menu at this time of year.

time-read
2 mins  |
January/February 2023